Summer is approaching, and for many Americans, that means one thing: It's the season to get out and explore a US national park.
25.04.2024 - 15:59 / forbes.com
Whether you celebrate Earth Day, National Park Week or World Environment Day, you can’t escape the many ways these celebrations strive to bring more attention to the damage the industrial world can wreak on our planet. But after the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic brought the travel industry almost to a standstill, American travelers rushed back to their airports as soon as they could.
Today countries like France are reporting record-setting reservations ahead of the Olympics. So how useful are these “green” endeavors? Are travelers influenced by environmental concerns? Are they deciding to go backcountry camping close to home rather than to book a starred property on the other side of the world? Are they headed to the National Parks in larger numbers than ever before?
“Five-star hotels can afford to lead the way of sustainability,” said Melissa Biggs Bradley, founder of Indagare Travel, a membership-based luxury travel agency and media company that operates out of New York City. Biggs Bradley believes that her market segment has an absolute obligation to protect the planet and find solutions to our climate-related issues.
“Since last year,” she said, “we are 100% carbon-neutral, which means that we calculate the carbon footprint of any trip we take or book, and offset it through Sustainable Travel International.” Ms. Biggs Bradley maintains that Earth Day and other nature and climate efforts have helped achieve awareness. “We start with luxury hotels and the most privileged travelers,” she said, “and even if they don’t recycle, they know they should.” Whether she is talking about food or water waste, as well as sustainable practices, she believes that hotels and individual travelers can no longer ignore the impact of travel.
Sustainable Travel International was founded in 2002 and has since expanded its reach to include tourism companies, destinations and consumers who wish to understand how to offset their trips.
“We are not trying to convince people to travel less,” said Kaitlyn Brajcich, Senior Manager for Communications. “We help clients measure their impact and choose how to counter it, whether through our forestry, renewable energy, blue/teal carbon or innovative climate tech projects.”
According to a 2022 travel trend survey, Campspot, a camping booking site and software provider for campgrounds, reported that “travelers are more eager than ever to explore the great outdoors.” In fact, 69% of their customers list ‘travel to new places to camp’ as their top travel goal.
“Last year, 77% of our travelers surveyed mentioned access to ‘fresh air’ as a vacation goal,” said Chief Marketing Officer Erin Stender. “As important as proximity to water, and high speed internet!” Many campers today choose RV’s,
Summer is approaching, and for many Americans, that means one thing: It's the season to get out and explore a US national park.
National parks are hotter than ever. In fact, the National Park Service saw over 325 million visits in 2023 — the highest visitation since 2017. However, not everyone who visits the parks likes to hike.
I grew up vacationing in a beach town called Nags Head on the Outer Banks, the string of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. My parents did, too — they were high school sweethearts — and their stories about hitchhiking to Nags Head as teenagers in the 1960s and seeing bands like the Drifters perform at the local dance hall were the stuff of legend in my mind. As a kid in the ’80s, I loved climbing the massive sand dunes at nearby Jockey’s Ridge State Park and fishing at Cape Hatteras. So I was excited to learn that this month, Steidl will publish a book of images the photographer Joel Sternfeld took in Nags Head in the summer of 1975. Sternfeld’s weatherworn cottages and roadside snack bars bring back memories real and imagined, and I’ll enjoy reliving them with my mom. The book is currently available for preorder, so, in the meantime, I’m eyeing some other ’70s-inspired gifts for Mother’s Day. Vacation’s Orange Gelée sunscreen is reminiscent of the vintage tanning staple Bain de Soleil, and this portable wine chiller designed in 1978 by Richard Carlson is easy to find on eBay. It fits two bottles of wine. Alternatively, Cann Social Tonic’s zero-proof Roadie pouches, infused with 2 milligrams of THC, travel easily to the beach. And for a nostalgic summer pants set, turn to the Rockaway Beach-based Zingara Vintage. The designer Erin Silvers custom makes her ZingaraTerry loungewear from vintage YSL towels produced in the 1960s and ’70s.
Frontier is looking to award 10 lucky winners with four round-trip flights — and is throwing in a special flower bouquet to celebrate Mother's Day. Each winner of the airline's "Flights and Flowers" contest will receive four round-trip tickets to be used within Frontier’s network, as well as a $100 bouquet from popular flower delivery service Teleflora.
With vast wilderness making up most of the state, Alaska’s parks and outdoor spaces take center stage for most visitors. Alaska is home to about 60% of the total national park land in the US, covering 56 million acres.
Matt and Karen Smith know a thing or two about getting the most out of a national park visit.
In November, managers at the Arenas del Mar resort near Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica, challenged employees to come up with ways to operate more sustainably. The maintenance crew suggested electric locks on guest room doors. The food and beverage department proposed making jams from fruit peels. And the housekeepers advised: Ditch the slippers.
After almost sinking during COVID, the cruise industry is getting hot again. New ships, from the “city at sea” 7,600 passenger Icon of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) to smaller, all-luxury ships like the 920-passenger Explora I are bringing new interest—and new cruisers—to the industry.
Stretching across six time zones and covering a land mass six times the size of Mexico, Canada defies easy categorization.
Growing up in Tucson, Arizona , I was used to the desert.
Packing healthy and nutritious snacks for the road helps travelers to avoid high-sodium and high-fat food often sold in airports. From snacks to supplements, beating jet lag and keeping a wellness routine going on the road are easier with the right diet and exercise. These products make great gifts for the frequent-traveling moms in your life.
Celebrating Mom this Mother’s Day is an opportunity to show how much people love and appreciate her. Gift ideas abound from flowers and chocolate to jewelry and clothes. But, what if you could give the gift of memories with her? Even if time is limited, there are lots of creative hotel packages for entertaining weekend getaways to celebrate with her or for her to enjoy on her own or with friends. These are some of the limited-time deals available for Mother’s Day this season.